In St. Louis, many of our movie theaters are as interesting as the stories lighting up their screens. Our town is blessed with several time-honored theaters, some of which have been family-run for generations. That makes them beautiful, historic and a little mroe personal than the average megaplex.
Moolah Theatre & Lounge
Visitors to the Moolah sip alcoholic beverages and relax on couches with the intricate, Moorish temple dome overhead. But it almost wasn’t so.
Built in 1913 as a Shriners Temple, the Moolah went into disrepair after the Shriners moved to a new facility in the 1980s. In 2003, the building underwent a massive renovation, reopening in 2005 as a single-screen theater run by Harman Moseley of St. Louis Cinemas. “I wanted to turn it into a multiple-screen theater, but we couldn’t chop the building up. The only way the renovation would work was through tax credits, and the only thing historic was the auditorium,” he says.
The inspiration for the theater’s quirky atmosphere comes from Moseley’s decades of industry experience. “In the ‘70s I went to parties thrown by Mid- America Theatres,” he says. “Their offices had a screening room with a little bar and shag carpeting. We thought it was the coolest place to see a movie, so that’s what we did with the Moolah.”
In the future, moviegoers can expect a few changes at the theater, including the addition of a second screen in the lounge to create a deluxe boutique theater, Moseley says.
The Tivoli Theatre
Cruising down Delmar Boulevard, you can’t miss the Tivoli Theatre, its neon sign marking the ornate building. The theater, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, opened in 1924, but closed 70 years later after multiple ownership changes and general decline. Joe and Linda Edwards, owners of Blueberry Hill and The Moonrise Hotel, quickly bought it. After a $2 million restoration, the theater reopened in 1995.
The Tivoli is operated by Landmark Theatres, a national chain dedicated to independent films. The theater is a treat for film buffs as its lobby showcases movie
memorabilia and its walls are decorated with vintage movie posters, including many with ties to St. Louis.
Wehrenberg Theatres
Fred Wehrenberg saw his first film at the 1904 World’s Fair. Two years later, he opened the Cherokee Theatre next to his saloon, signaling the birth of what is now the country’s oldest family-owned theater circuit.
The business thrived, leading to several additional theaters, including Ronnie’s Drive-In, opened in 1948 and named after Wehrenberg’s grandson Ronald Krueger. In 1963 Krueger became president and is now chairman and co-CEO. The current incarnation of Ronnie’s, opened in 1999 in the same location as the original, pays homage to its roots with a drive-in themed lobby area.
Executive director and COO Bill Menke credits the company’s success to innovation. “We’ve seen the transitions in the movie business, from the silent era, to talkies, to where we are today,” he says. “We were the first to bring stadium seating to St. Louis in the ‘90s and we were the first in the area to transition to digital.”
Among other improvements, Wehrenberg is bringing its Five Star Lounge, featuring in-theater dining and drinks for patrons 21 and older, to additional theaters, says Menke. The first Five Star Lounge debuted at the Chesterfield Galaxy 14 in 2010.
The Hi-Pointe Theatre
The Hi-Pointe Theatre at the intersection of I-64, Clayton Road and McCausland Avenue, is iconic St. Louis. Built in 1922, it is named after the surrounding Hi-Pointe neighborhood and is the oldest operating single-screen theater in town.
Many theaters built in the ‘20s were also intended to feature vaudeville acts and plays. But not the Hi-Pointe—its auditorium was specifically constructed for movies. Locals George and Georgia James have operated the theater since the ’70s. Besides showing the latest blockbusters, the Hi-Pointe also offers classic movies and cult favorites.
Pictured: Harman Moseley’s Kirkwood Theater